Just the Girl
by Caitlin51
Summary: A collection of Fitz/Skye drabbles. Because they are adorable.
1. Chapter 1

_A/N: Hi everyone! This is a Fitz/Skye drabble series, because I feel like no one else ships them...and they should... Enjoy!_

* * *

"Ugh." Skye couldn't help but grimace at her reflection in the mirror as she rolled out of bed. The messy hair and squinty eyes, coupled with bad morning breath, just didn't promise an attractive day. Rubbing her eyes, she walked over to her dresser, prepared to throw on the first non-smelly outfit she could find. Then she paused. "Wait." A smile broke out on her face. "Today's our vacation day!"

...

The sun glimmered off the smooth surface of the pond, sending iridescent flashes of light in all directions. "Peaceful, isn't it?"

Skye looked up to see Fitz grinning boyishly down at her. She was at a park somewhere, sitting on a bench, watching the wind create ripples in the glassy surface of the pond. It gave her a chance to think, a chance to relax and let her mind wander. "Yeah. It is."

Easily hopping over the back of the bench, Fitz settled down next to her. Though he addressed her, his eyes were focused on the pond. "I like these simple days. These days where we can forget about aliens and saving lives."

"I know what you mean. It's exhausting sometimes."

Fitz turned to her, a grin on his face. "Change of subject: have you ever skipped a stone?"

"...what?" Skye furrowed her brow at him in confusion.

"Skipped a stone. It's something that my dad taught me when I was little - everytime I see a pond, it reminds me of the time we spent together."

"That's cute. Will you show me?" Skye's interest was rewarded by the pleased look in Fitz's eyes as he jumped off the bench, then offered a hand to help her up.

"I would love to," he said sincerely, ducking his head slightly. "First, we have to find a small stone." He stooped down and picked one up from the edge of the pond, brushing the dirt off. "Look here - this one is perfect."

_It's a stone, _Skye thought. But outwardly, she peered at the stone, feigning interest. "Why is it perfect?"

"It's thin and flat," Fitz explained, gesturing to it with his free hand. "Now we just need to find a couple more like it."

"Okay…" After a couple minutes of searching, they had assembled a pile of small, flat stones.

"Great. Now, take a stone in your hand like this," he demonstrated, holding the stone in between his fingers, and throw it like this." His motion was similar to throwing a frisbee. Watching, Skye saw his stone skip across the pond three times before sinking with a plop.

"That's actually cool," Skye commented, unable to stop a smile at his obvious excitement over the success.

"Alright, your turn." He handed her a stone, his fingers briefly brushing her palm.

Tingles shot up her body and she quickly withdrew from the touch. "Okay. Like...this?" She asked as she released the stone, only to see it sink without skipping even once. "Hey! What did I do wrong?"

"You threw it wrong. You had no chance."

"Oh, really?" Hands on hips, Skye surveyed him. "I blame my teacher, then."

"Well, I'll just have to teach better, I suppose." He handed her another rock accompanied with a cheeky grin. However, this time he stood behind her and enclosed her hand in his.

"What are you doing?" Demanded Skye, distracted by the feeling of his breath against the back of her neck.

"Helping." Gently guiding her hand, Fitz demonstrated the motion a couple times. "And finish with a flicking motion."

"Okay, I got this." Fitz stepped backward, and Skye went through the motion he taught her, letting go off the stone. "It worked!" The stone skipped twice before vanishing into the pond.

"Of course it did. You have a great teacher."

Regarding him thoughtfully, Skye responded, "Maybe I do."

* * *

_Please review if you like it so I'll write more chapters!_


	2. Chapter 2

_A/N: I am really enjoying writing this ship and this fic, so I hope you enjoy as well! And if you like Ward/Simmons, you should check out my other fic "Without Expectations" and love it._

* * *

Clearing his throat, Fitz stared nervously at the closed door in front of him. Skye's door. _What am I doing? Fitz, this is crazy! _Just as he was about to chicken out and walk away, the door opened.

"Fitz?" She stood there, framed in the doorway. Her hair fell in relaxed, tousled waves down her shoulders and she was dressed in yoga pants and a loose-fitting shirt - in short, she took Fitz's breath away. He loved it when he could catch her before she had put on make-up and fixed her hair. That way, her natural beauty could shine through.

"Skye! Erm, nothing. I'm not doing anything. Nothing at all."

Her eyes narrowed as she surveyed him. "Nothing, huh? Just standing in front of my door, holding a bouquet of flowers?"

"Well, maybe not quite nothing." Rational thought seemed to have escaped Fitz. "I found these flowers, and I thought you might like them. Because they are pretty. And you are pretty. So they match you…" He trailed off, squeezing his eyes shut and just holding out the flowers to her. _This is a disaster. She'll never talk to me again._

"Wow, Fitz," she took the flowers from his grasp and held them up to her nose, "they are lovely. And they smell so good!" She added as she inhaled their sweet aroma.

Remembering something, Fitz cried, "Wait. Just let me…" Reaching towards the bouquet, Fitz tried to fish out a small card from amidst the flowers before she noticed it.

"Oh, what's this?"

_Too late. _Hoping that the ground would just swallow him up right away, Fitz just smiled through his teeth and made no comment.

Taking it out of the bouquet, she held it up and started to read it. Her expression started as a smile, then grew. And she was clearly trying not to laugh. "Wow. You wrote a poem for me."

"You're laughing! It's lame. Just pretend that that never happened," Fitz said, disappointed. He had laboured for a long time over that poem. _I should have known that Skye was not the type of girl to be won with flowers and poetry. Next time I'm asking for Simmons's help._

"No," Skye stopped him before he could walk away. Obviously fighting to control her laughter, she said, "No. I think it's very sweet."

"Sure. I'm just going to go…" Fitz jerked his thumb over his shoulder and started to leave.

"Fitz," the sound of Skye's voice stopped him for a second time, "Wait." Turning back around, he saw Skye walk up to him. Leaning in, she kissed his cheek softly. "I like it. Really, I do."

A slow smile spread across Fitz's face. "Really?" He asked earnestly.

"Really," she affirmed, smiling back at him.

* * *

_Sorry for the shortish chapter but please review anyway so I'm inspired to write!_


	3. Chapter 3

_A/N: I just love you guys - the reviews make me so happy! I'm really glad that others enjoy this ship as much as I do =)._

* * *

"Yeah, here." Fitz handed Simmons a test tube, his thoughts far away.

"Go talk to her," Simmons sighed, peering up at him from her position in front of the microscope

He glanced at her, confused. "Who?"

"Skye." Abandoning her analysis, she leaned up against the counter and focused her steely gaze on him. "Stop pretending that you don't have a thing for her. You're so obvious!" Her voice was teasing, but he could tell that she believed every word.

Feeling a faint blush creep up his neck and onto his cheeks, he busied himself rearranging chemicals on the shelves so that Simmons couldn't see his face. "Very funny, Jemma."

"Please go talk to her?" This time, Simmons's voice was cajoling, pleading.

"Why? What does it matter?" He still refused to face her, intent on his pointless task.

Using the voice she reserved to express pretend irritation, she replied, "Because I have more than enough test tubes, thank you very much."

Glancing back, he looked at Simmons's workspace, trying to figure out what she was talking about. He figured it out pretty quickly - half a dozen empty test tubes were scattered around her microscope. "I don't understand," Fitz said, giving her a strange look. "What do test tubes have to do with me and Skye."

"Nothing," replied Simmons, giving him a pitying look. "Nothing at all. Just that you've been handing them to me all day when I've been asking for specimen slides." She raised an eyebrow at him knowingly.

"Wha...what? No." Fitz sputtered, feeling trapped. "That's ridiculous."

"Precisely. So go talk to her." Patting him encouragingly on the arm, Simmons propelled him towards the lab door.

"How do you know that this is even about Skye?" Protested Fitz in a last-ditch effort to derail her.

"Anyone with eyes can see the way you look at her."

"I do not _look_ at her."

"Do you hear how ridiculous you sound?" She demanded, her hands on her hips. "Now, go."

As the door shut behind him, Fitz turned to glare resentfully at Simmons, who pointedly refused to notice. _Don't think I haven't noticed the way you stare at Ward. I'll get you back for this._

...

The small gym echoed with the constant _thump thump _of Skye's fists against the punching bag, her ragged breathing keeping time with her motions. She could feel sweat dripping down her face, plastering her hair to her head. She grunted, hitting the bag so hard that she knew her fist was going to display a bruise the next day.

"Woah, woah. Stop, Skye." The order came from behind her. Whirling instinctively, her fists at the ready, she saw that Ward had entered the room without her noticing.

"I'm training. Shouldn't that impress you?" She asked lightly, relaxing her fighting stance now that there was no chance of danger.

Ward walked towards her and said, his voice mild, "Training, yes. Attempting to murder the innocent punching bag, no."

Exhaling deeply, Skye brushed sweaty strands of hair out of her eyes. "I don't see your point."

"You're going to hurt yourself."

"So?" She challenged, refusing to back down.

He shot her that look. The look that she had seen many times before - the 'stop-being-an-idiot look.'

"Fine. You might have a point. A small one," she admitted grudgingly.

"Yeah." Awkwardly staring at the wall behind her, Ward cleared his throat. "Need to talk?"

"No. Well, maybe. I don't know." She wrung her hands. "Yes. It's Fitz."

"Saw that one coming," Ward muttered under his breath.

"What?" At his gesture, she just continued, "We have spent some time together, and...well, I don't know!"

"You should probably talk to him."

"Well yes, but what do I say?"

Thinking for a second, Ward replied, "Sorry, can't help you out there. Good talk." He patted her on the shoulder and beat a hasty retreat.

Skye stared after him. _What just happened? _

...

Leaving the gym, she nearly ran straight into Fitz.

"Skye!" He exclaimed, turning bright red.

"Fitz!" Hurriedly pushing her sweaty hair behind her shoulders, she wished that she had been able to shower before seeing him.

"I was looking for you," he said, shuffling his feet.  
"Oh. Cool. Any reason?"

"No. Not really." Apparently his shoe was fascinating, because he wouldn't look up.

"Okay." Unable to stand the awkwardness, she said, "I...I should shower."

"Great. And...and I should get back to the lab."

"Right." Neither of them moved.

Suddenly, Fitz blurted out, "I like you. A lot."

Skye beamed at him. "I thought you would never…" Her sentence was cut off as Fitz closed the distance between them and brushed his lips across hers. "Wow."

"I like the sound of that."

* * *

_I hope you enjoyed this chapter, because I had fun writing it. _

_Please review!_


	4. Chapter 4

_A/N: I love all your reviews immensely! I think that this chapter is probably my favourite so far, so I really hope you like it =)._

* * *

Staring in consternation at the counter piled high with ingredients, Fitz sighed. He was in _way_ over his head.

He had made a terrible mistake.

And now he was paying the consequences.

...

"_Look at Simmons - isn't she so obvious?" Plopping down next to him on the couch, Skye gestured toward Jemma who was chatting with Ward in the lab._

"_What?" A handful of popcorn en route to his mouth, Fitz stopped, then turned to look._

"_Don't stare," Skye ordered, snagging some popcorn from his bowl. "I'm sure they want some...alone time." She winked at him, relaxing further into the couch contentedly._

"_Ward and Simmons?" Fitz scoffed contemptuously. "Not a chance."_

...

"A pot. That's a good start, right?" Locating a large pot took a couple minutes of searching through every shelf and cupboard in the small kitchen area. "And water. I can boil water." He filled the pot halfway with water and set it on the stove.

"It helps if you turn the burner on," Skye's teasing voice came from behind him. Turning, he saw her sitting at the island, her face propped up in her hands. Watching him.

"Thanks a heap." Fitz responded dryly, but did turn the burner on.

...

"_I think that they'd be cute together," Skye insisted, stealing more of Fitz's popcorn despite his pointed glare._

"_Don't be ridiculous. He's not her type."_

"_Do you really think that you can matchmake better than me?" Looking offended, Skye threw a handful popcorn at him._

"_Obviously." Rolling his eyes, he picked the popcorn out of his hair. "Because you are so far off."_

"_Am not! Wanna bet?"_

"_Winner makes the loser dinner?" Fitz leaned towards her, a challenging note in his voice._

"_You're on."_

...

"How did you manage to set the pasta on fire?" Skye demanded over the sound of the smoke alarm.

"I don't know!" Fitz yelled back, grabbing the fire extinguisher from its place on the wall. Aiming the hose at the stove, he sprayed a good couple inches of foam over the flaming pasta, watching the flames die under the onslaught.

There was silence for a couple moments as both of them regarded the charred remains of the pasta and the foamy pasta sauce on the burner next to it. Then Skye let out a peal of laughter and sank onto the ground, overcome by mirth. "You...you set pasta on fire!"

Trying to keep a straight face, Fitz protested, "It's not funny - stop laughing."

"I can't!" She giggled. "You're a worse cook than I am."

Giving up, Fitz sat down next to her and started laughing too.

...

"_Guess what?" Skye poked her head into Fitz's room, her voice excited._

_Looking up from his laptop, he asked, "What?"_

_She smiled at him radiantly. "I win! Ward just totally kissed Simmons!"_

_Scrambling to his feet, Fitz stared at her. "You must be kidding." That was impossible - there was no way that he was wrong._

"_Nope. I saw them." She entered the room and perched on the edge of his desk, her expression triumphant._

"_I don't believe you." Fitz crossed his arms and eyed her, waiting for proof._

_A look of mock outrage crossed Skye's features. "It's true! I was working out, but then I heard voices in the hall, so I spied out the window." She grinned at him, her eyes lighting up. "And then he just leaned in and kissed her. They're so cute." Looking much too satisfied for her own good, she added, "So I expect dinner tomorrow." With that, she left._

_Later, Fitz asked Jemma and she confirmed that there was something there. He was happy for her, but resigned to cooking for Skye. The price of his defeat was going to be significant._

...

"Is this an acceptable substitute to flaming pasta?" Taking the chair next to Skye at the table, Fitz placed a large container of chocolate ice-cream on the table and dug two spoons into the creamy surface.

"Well," she eyed the ice-cream thoughtfully, "I'm not sure that _anything _can beat flaming pasta, but I guess it's close." She grabbed a spoon and dug in; he mirrored her actions. Then Skye looked at him, her eyes wide in innocence. "So...Coulson and May?"

Taken aback, Fitz blurted out, "What? No. Not a chance."

"Wanna bet?"

"You're on."

* * *

_Please review - I want to know if you liked this one as much as I did!_


	5. Chapter 5

_A/N: This chapter was prompted by Salkri Kachemench and I really enjoyed writing it. Please let me know what you think!_

* * *

Fitz now knew what it was like to die. It was soul-crushing. He felt like he couldn't move, couldn't speak, couldn't even breathe. Like his life just stopped in one moment - a moment that went on for eternity. And it was all because of _her._

She lay there, so still, so pale. Her life was slowly draining out of her, and all Fitz could do was stand there, one hand pressed up against the glass. The barrier between life and death had never seemed so fragile to him before. Before it was Skye's life on the line. His hand curled into a fist, helplessness overwhelming him. Every night since she was shot, he had visited her after everyone had gone to sleep. It was his time to be alone with her, to talk to her the way he wished he had when she could hear.

"I never told you," he said quietly, his voice breaking, "but I actually don't mind country music now." His lips curled up into a sad smile. "I know, I know. I lied. But for a good reason."

...

"_That stuff is terrible!" Fitz complained as Skye blasted "You Think My Tractor's Sexy" at full volume one day._

"_You don't like the song?" Fine," Skye pouted, changing it to "Man, I Feel Like a Woman." "Better?"_

"_No, I don't like the whole genre," Fitz yelled over the loud music. "The 'twangy' style just isn't my thing."_

"_You have got to be kidding me," Skye said, her eyes growing wide. "We're going to fix this."_

"_No, really…" Fitz started to protest, but before he could, Skye sat next to him and starting showing him all of her favourite songs on her country playlist._

"_What about…" She chewed her lip thoughtfully, "Hunter Hayes? He's less twangy."_

_She's so adorable, he thought to himself, when she is focused on something. Out loud, he replied, "I don't know."_

"_Then I'll show you."_

...

"It was true, at least at first. But then you showed me so many of your favourites, and I found myself not minding them, despite my best efforts." He laughed shakily. "I could never tell you, though. Then you would stop trying to convince me. Stop spending time with me." _And that would hurt more than I could bear._ "But, I promise that if you pull through, I'll tell you. And I'll never complain about your music again."

The night was long. They always were, but Fitz couldn't bear to leave her side. Couldn't bear to leave her alone. He knew that Jemma monitored her and that any change would bring her running, but he wasn't going to risk anything. And privately, he hoped that being there would somehow bring her comfort in her comatose state. "I'm here for you, Skye," he whispered, feeling tears form in his eyes. "I never told you how much I cared, but I'm not going to make that mistake again. I promise."

Fitz now knew what it was like to die. Yet somehow, he now knew what it was like to live. His eyes had been opened to life's possibilities and he was going to live it to its fullest, just like she always had and hopefully always would. It was a rush and it was full of unrequited love and heartbreak, but he wouldn't trade it for anything. And it was all because of _her._

* * *

_I hope you liked it - more angsty than usual, but… Anyway, please review!_


	6. Chapter 6

_A/N: I agonized over this chapter - not really sure why. Hopefully you all like it! Also, you should check out my new FitzSimmons fic "Hoping for a Chance." Enjoy =)._

* * *

The frigid gusts swirled around them, robbing them of the ability to speak. Skye could barely even see Fitz through the snowstorm - his blue parka was often obscured by the large white flakes. But he was her lifeline - he knew where the cave was. And without the cave, it wouldn't be long before they froze to death in the depths of the remote mountain range. It took all of her concentration to keep walking, trying to stay in Fitz's footsteps before they were completely filled in. The thought made her chuckle slightly inside, despite her fear. He had insisted on walking in front of her so that he could break a path for her through the snow. One foot slipped, and Skye fought back a scream as she fell into the snow, unsure if she was going to have the strength to get back up and continue to fight the blizzard. But then Fitz was there, pulling her to her feet and half-dragging her into the mouth of the cave. They had made it.

"Are you okay?" Fitz shouted into her ear, the wind still making it difficult to hear.

"I think so!" Aside from feeling like she might freeze into a block of ice, Skye didn't think that there was anything else wrong with her.

"This way - come on!" Grabbing her mittened hand in his, he dragged her further into the protection of the cave.

"What now?" Skye asked in a normal tone of voice once they were far enough into the cave to be protected from the storm outside.

Fitz shrugged. "I suppose we wait 'til it stops and the team can come rescue us."

"Oh. Fun." Her sarcasm was lost on Fitz.

"Want to have a picnic?"

"...what?" Skye was sure that she must have heard him wrong. A _picnic?_

"A picnic," he confirmed, setting his backpack on the ground and pulling out a couple sealed baggies.

"You brought lunch?" She couldn't keep the incredulity out of her voice.

"Of course." Fitz looked offended that she would even ask. "And it's a good thing, too."

"No complaints here," she replied, holding up her hands to as if to ward off his indignation.

Handing her a sandwich, he grinned at her. "Ham and cheese."

Accepting it gratefully, she commented, "My favourite."

"I know."

Controlling her surprise, she bit into the partially frozen sandwich. _How did he know my favourite sandwich? _She didn't have long to dwell on that thought, though, before Fitz pulled out an apple as well.

"Want a slice?" Using his small pocketknife, he carved a slice and offered it to her.

"Yes, thanks." The whole situation just felt so strange to Skye. They were in a frozen cave in the middle of the mountains in a blizzard, but here they were, calmly having a picnic.

"So," Skye said, breaking the silence that had fallen while she was chewing, "Since we are stuck here, let's talk."

The look Fitz gave her almost made her burst out laughing. "Talk." He said flatly. "About what? Feelings?"

"Well," she leaned forward expectantly, "If you want. Or hopes. Dreams. Anything to pass the time."

Shifting uncomfortably, Fitz didn't make eye contact. "Why?"

Coming over to stand next to him, Skye responded, "Because we have _nothing_ else to do. Here - I'll go first." She took a deep breath. "I haven't told anyone, but I want to have a house with a family one day. It's silly, I know, but I've never had it before."

Fitz slipped his hand into hers. "I don't think it's silly."

"Thanks." She smiled up at him. "What about you?"

"Hmm," he mumbled, considering. "I've always wanted to start my own school - one just for nerds like me. One where they can all feel special and included."

"I like that idea." Not wanting their moment of honesty to stop but still feeling self-conscious, Skye let her hair fall as a curtain between them. "And I want to find the truth about myself and my parents. I keep trying to act like it doesn't bother me to not know where I can from, but it does."

Feeling a hand brush her hair out of her face, Skye looked up to see Fitz regarding her intently. "I'm sorry." There was no trace of humour, just sincere compassion. "I can't pretend to understand."

"It's okay." She blinked quickly a couple times to hold back her tears.

"If it helps, you have a family here. With us."

Touched more deeply than she wanted to show, Skye laughed quietly. "That sounds so cheesy. Even if it is true."

"It is. And you're not the only one who feels lost." Fitz looked down at his hands. "I feel like I am out of place as well - not the perfect scientist like Simmons or the perfect soldier like Ward. I'm just stuck somewhere in between."

"Hey," Skye soothed, "That's a lie. We need you. I need you." A shocked look crossed her face when she realized that she had said that out loud. Probably identical to the look on his face, actually. "Can we...can we pretend…?"

"Yeah." Fitz agreed.

The conversation continued on a much less serious note for hours until the blizzard ended. The team found them there, holding hands and both looking more at peace than ever before.

* * *

_Please please please review! (Also, ideas are always appreciated!)_


	7. Chapter 7

_A/N: This chapter was a lot of fun to write - thanks to Salkri Kachemench again for the prompt! Enjoy =)._

* * *

"Dare." Skye said with surety, eyeing Simmons. She was confident that the sweet scientist wouldn't pick anything too difficult.

"Alright, let's see." Simmons looked thoughtful for a moment. "I dare you to...to let Ward do your hair and keep it like that for the rest of the day."

Skye laughed. "Easy." The game was put on hold for a little while while Skye, Fitz, and Ward scattered to find styling materials. Leaning back contentedly on the couch, Skye smiled as she began to brainstorm her next move. As soon as Ward was finished with her hair, it would be her turn. _Hmm,_ she thought, _Should I get Simmons to confess her feelings for Ward? Or,_ she tapped her lip thoughtfully, _I could dare Ward to take his shirt off and then watch Simmons turn bright red…_

"Ready?" Ward's voice interrupted her musings.

Rolling her eyes dramatically, Skye sat up and pulled the ponytail out of her hair, allowing Ward access. "Go for it." The chuckles that sounded from behind her coupled with the sheer amount of hairspray, though, made Skye slightly nervous - she braced herself for the final result.

"Close your eyes," Fitz ordered a couple minutes later.

Skye obeyed with a sigh.

"Okay, now open!" The laughter in Simmons's voice was clear.

"Oh. My. Gosh." The words were shocked. Skye watched her stunned reflection in the mirror that Fitz held put a hand to her hair. Somehow, Ward had managed to use hairspray and bobby pins to create a hair funnel starting from the crown of her head and extending six inches upwards.

At her response, Fitz snickered. "Bad hair day?" He taunted, a teasing gleam in his eyes. "Because I think it looks about the way it always does."

"Oh," Skye responded, grinning devilishly at him, "You are making a _huge_ mistake, Fitz. I believe it's my turn!"

"Terrifying." He mocked.

"Truth or dare?"

He looked her straight in the eyes. "Truth."

Pouting, Skye grumbled, "Fine. Be boring - I'll get you back eventually." She thought for a second, then asked, "We'll go high-school with this - who are you crushing on right now?"

Fitz turned bright red. "No-o-o one."

"Liar!" Simmons exclaimed, but then quieted at the look Fitz shot her.  
"Yeah," Skye said, indignant. "You have to be honest."

"Whatever. There's this girl. That I like." Fitz wouldn't meet her eyes and his face was flushed. "Name's Sophie."

Still not satisfied, Skye asked, "So, what's she like?" Outside, she sounded curious and peppy, but inside, she felt a dull ache. But she didn't understand why it would hurt so badly to hear that Fitz was in love with someone else - it's not like she had feelings for him or anything.

"That wasn't part of the question," Fitz appealed to Simmons and Ward. "I don't have to answer it, right?"

Ward shrugged. "Technically, he's right. Sorry Skye."

Huffing, she sprawled backwards, her cone-hair making a thump as it hit the back of the worn couch. _Probably didn't even dent the hairstyle, _she thought wryly.

"My turn." Fitz turned to Ward. "Truth or dare?"

"Dare. I can take it."

"Okay…" Fitz drawled, "I dare you to drink the entire contents of the cooler," he said, pointing at the mostly-full water cooler.  
"That's not humanly possible," Simmons started to object, but Ward held up his hand.

"I've got this." He grabbed a glass jar that he had been using as a cup eariler from the table and filled it, then downed it in one breath. Then another. Skye watched, fascinated, as he managed to drink the entire cooler-full over the course of ten minutes. "Done." He declared, finishing the last mouthful. "And I think it's my turn." He leveled his gaze directly at Skye. "Truth or dare."

"Again?" She squeaked. Never the one to back down, though she responded, "Fine. Dare."

Ward exchanged a knowing glance with Simmons, then said, "I dare you to kiss Fitz."

Skye's eyes widened and she glared daggers at her 'friends.'

"And a real kiss," Simmons added, "Not just a peck."

Raising his hand, Fitz asked, "Don't I get a say in this?"

"No." Simmons and Ward replied in unison.

"Well?" Staring at her expectantly, Ward raised an eyebrow at the fact that she had not yet budged. "Are you going to refuse my dare?"

She jumped to her feet immediately at that comment, her stupid pride refusing to let her off the hook. "Never," she shot at Ward. Fitz looked slightly nervous as she strode up to him - rightly so, it turned out as she grabbed a fistful of his shirt and pulled him to her. Their lips met in a searing kiss that took Skye's breath away and left her shaking. "There," she tried to say confidently, but her voice just sounded dazed. Fitz looked just as out of it as she did, though.

"Wow." That was Simmons.

"Yeah." Ward echoed her sentiment.

"So," Skye said, trying to distract herself from the intensity of the moment. "Simmons, truth or dare?"

The game continued - Ward did end up taking off his shirt, Simmons did end up blushing, but Skye found that she was having a difficult time focusing on anything other than the curly-haired Scot. And she was developing a neck-ache from the sheer weight of her cone-hair. Finally, she said, "That's it for me, guys. I'm going to take a _long _shower," she glared at Ward, "and try to comb out this monstrosity."

"I'm done, too," Fitz announced, following her retreat.

_Great. He's following me. That makes it much more difficult not to dwell on that kiss._

"Skye?"

She turned at the sound of her name, seeing Fitz looking guilty standing behind her. "Yes?"

"I lied…" He hesitated, examining his toes intently. "Well, to be completely honest, I just misled you. Sort of. Which is like lying, I guess. But different, right?"

"Is there a point?" Skye asked, hardly daring to hope.

"Oh, yeah. It's just - there is no Sophie. I was talking about you."

Before she was able to respond, he vanished hurriedly. He didn't see the huge smile spread across Skye's face nor the little dance she did in her excitement. _Yes!_

* * *

_Please review and tell me if you loved this chapter, too!_


	8. Chapter 8

_A/N: Sorry this one took a while for me to write - school is dominating my life lately. But please enjoy. Also, if any of you have any brilliant ideas for future chapters, let me know! I love incorporating your ideas =)._

* * *

"This is the life." Skye took a sip of her hot chocolate and smiled, savouring the warm liquid. Hot chocolate was probably her favourite drink, especially on a late summer night.

"I don't see how," Fitz grumbled, sitting next to her around the campfire. "We're in the middle of nowhere with nothing to do."

Skye tried to hide her smile at his characteristic moodiness. For some reason, she found it adorable when he complained - that cute little frown didn't hurt either. "Cheer up," she teased. "We're camping - it's supposed to be fun. A break from all the craziness." Taking another sip from her hot cocoa, she shifted in her camping chair to face Fitz.

"There's no wifi. Or cell service." His voice was flat.

She arched an eyebrow at him. "That's sort of the point." She waved her free arm at their surroundings. "Enjoy nature. Forget technology. And," cutting him off as he started to object, she continued, "It's not easy for me to say because computers are my life."

Crossing his arms grumpily, he mumbled, "It's not beautiful. It's just eating me alive."

Rising to her feet, Skye finished the last sip of her hot chocolate and put her cup down in the chair's cupholder. "That's it. You're coming with me," she ordered, standing in front of his chair, determined.

"Why?" A baffled look crossed his face.

She held out a hand. "I'm going to show you how beautiful camping can be."

With obvious reluctance he took her hand and stood up, adjusting his light jacket. "Fine."

They told Coulson that they were taking a walk so that no one would worry about their absence, then Skye picked an arbitrary direction and started walking.

"Where are we going?" Fitz asked, catching up to her.

She smiled at him and shrugged. "I'm not sure. I think that the lake is this way, though." The path they were following through the woods was clear and pretty flat - an easy walk. Breaking the silence that had fallen between them, Skye asked, "So, what do you have against nature anyway?"

"Nothing. It's just cold and full of bugs." Glancing down at his feet, he grimaced and added, " And mud. Lots of mud."

Skye laughed at that - the squishy substance was coating her boots as well, but she didn't really care.

Sounding offended, Fitz muttered, "Of course you're laughing."

"No," she giggled, "I would never laugh." She was about to say something more when the forest ended abruptly at the edge of a large, smooth lake. The surface was a clear as a mirror, reflecting the large moon high in the sky. "Woah."

"It's okay, I guess," Fitz admitted grudgingly as they walked forward across the lush grass.

Skye glanced upwards, then nodded. _This is the perfect night for stargazing_, she thought in satisfaction. Immediately sitting down on the damp grass, she took off her purple scarf and, crumpling it into a ball, used it as a pillow as she laid back and watched the stars. And waited. It took only a couple moments before she saw Fitz come over and lay down next to her. "Aren't they beautiful? And they are so clear tonight." She muttered after he had settled, her gaze focused on Orion.

"You really love it out here, don't you?" The change in his tone prompted Skye to turn to look at him. The grumpiness was gone, replaced with curiosity, and something...something she didn't recognize.

Biting her lip in thought, she responded, "I just love the peace. It's so calm out here - no missions, no guns, no danger." Returning her gaze to the stars, she pointed out the constellation she had been examining earlier. "That one there is Orion - see those three stars in a line?" She pointed. "That's his belt. And there is the Orion Nebula, and that star there is Rigel."

Fitz followed her gesture. "How do you know all this?"

"I told you - I love it. I love the way I feel when it's just me and the stars." Shifting to her side to face him, she was surprised by the intensity of the way he was looking at her. "What is it?" She asked, curious as to what had prompted this gaze.

"I don't like to admit that I was wrong," he started slowly, his eyes never leaving hers, "But maybe this time I was."

"Wrong about what?" Skye's breath hitched in her throat.

Fitz smiled at her - a relaxed natural smile. And his gaze still didn't waver. "Maybe nature is beautiful after all."

* * *

_Please review!_


	9. Chapter 9

_This was a fun chapter to write - thanks go out to Salkri Kachemench and thatdarncat00 because both of them requested it. Also, I'm loving all of these ideas - I have 5ish more chapters planned so far, and as long as ideas keep coming, I'm happy to keep writing! Enjoy =)._

* * *

"Skye? Skye - report."

Fitz heard Coulson's concerned voice over the communit. He held his breath. _Please respond._

After a long silence, he finally heard her ragged voice whisper, "I'm here."

"Where are you?" Coulson asked before Fitz had the chance to say anything.

_More importantly, are you safe? _The thought swirled around in Fitz's head, but his mouth was too dry to force the words out. Besides, Coulson wouldn't want him getting involved.

"I...I'm not sure. A forest. They chased me for a while and I got lost."

_But are you okay?_

As if in response to his wordless question, Skye continued, "I'm okay, though. And I don't see anyone else around."

"Alright. Stay where you are," Coulson ordered, the determination in his voice calming Fitz down slightly. "We'll come find you."

"Roger th..." Skye' sentence trailed off. Fitz felt his heart stop for a brief instant. Then she continued in a whisper. "I hear people and they don't sound friendly. Hurry!" Then she fell silent.

"I'm going in, sir." He said before he realized what he was volunteering to do. Leave the safety of the van and venture into the field, where there would be guns. Lots of guns, from what he had heard over the comm-units. _But this is Skye, _he told himself.

"Stay where you are, Fitz. I'm sending Ward - it's his job."

"I'm aware of that, sir." The spare gun that he kept around just in case was sitting on the desk; he grabbed it resolutely.

"I'm a little tied up right now," Ward's reply to Coulson's order was punctuated by grunts of exertion. "But I'll get there as soon as I can."

_But it will be too late. _Fitz didn't know how he knew, but he did. He was absolutely positive that something horrible was going to happen to Skye. Chances were he wouldn't be able to stop it, but he owed it to her to give his life trying.

"This is a bad idea, Fitz." Simmons, who was still undercover at the fancy party up in the mansion proper, hissed.

"Simmons - don't blow your cover." Coulson's rebuke came immediately.

With no one else left to yell at him, Fitz grabbed a bullet-proof jacket that he also had lying around ever since Skye had been shot and donned it, then holstered his gun. "I'll call you when I find her."

...

A couple minutes at a light jog put Fitz at the edge of the forest on the south end of their target's mansion. "Skye?" He whispered into the comm-unit, hoping that she would be safe to talk now. But there was still no answer. Sighing, he ventured into the gloomy underbrush, his steps determined. _I will find her, no matter the cost._

As luck would have it, the goons after Skye were hardly subtle - they had left a trail a blind man could follow. It only took Fitz about half an hour to locate their tracks, and from that point he just crept cautiously along, all his senses on alert. He walked for what seemed like forever, but was probably only a quarter of an hour or so before he heard voices ahead.

"Come out," a deep voice rumbled menacingly. "Our employer would _really _like to have a pleasant conversation with you."

Fitz stopped and pressed himself up against a tree. _Skye must be nearby. And she may still be armed if they are being so cautious. _Dropping to his knees, Fitz crawled, careful not to make any sound towards the sound of the man's voice. Then the familiar click of a gun sounded in front of him and he froze, hardly even daring to breathe. _This is it, _he thought, surprisingly calm. _This is how it ends._ Tensing, he waited. Nothing. Finally, he cautiously raised his head and found himself looking straight into Skye's wide eyes.

"Fitz?" She mouthed silently, looking shocked.

Letting out a relieved breath, he motioned for her to follow him. However, as he started to retrace his steps, he heard a loud crack - a stick under his knee. Glancing back apologetically at Skye behind him, they both froze, hoping that the goons hadn't heard the noise. After a second or two of silence, they resumed their slow pace.

"Fitz!" Skye's sudden gasp alerted Fitz and he immediately jumped to his feet, drawing his gun.

"Are you okay?"

"I saw someone - they know we're here." There was no trace of doubt in her voice, so Fitz trusted her opinion.

There was a flash of movement ahead of them - Fitz cocked the gun. Then he dropped to the ground as a spray of bullets rained down on them. _Thank goodness for my bulletproof...oh no. Skye. She's unprotected. _Heedless of the danger of rising from his prone position, Fitz crawled over to where Skye was lying and crouched over her, shielding her body from the gunfire. "Coulson," he said quietly into the comm. "I found her. We're in the forest and we really need backup."

"I'm on my way," Ward responded instantly.

"Just follow the sound of gunshots." With that grim statement, Fitz turned his brain back to survival.

"Fitz?" Skye asked weakly from underneath his arms.

"It's okay," he tried to comfort her. "Coulson's sending backup - Ward will be here soon."

"It's not that," she muttered. "I'm bleeding."

Fitz felt his heart sink. He was too late. "Where?"

"My arm. I don't think it's serious, but I'm losing…"

"...lots of blood," Fitz finished. "We have to cover the wound." Outwardly, he was impressed with how well he was taking everything. Inside, he was freaking out. _I can't lose her. Not before I even have her. _Behind them, Fitz heard the sound of gunshots and shouts of pain. Ward had obviously arrived on the scene. Feeling like it was safe to get up, he sat up and ripped a strip off his pant leg and tied it as tightly as he could around the bullet hole in her arm without hurting her too much. To her credit, she barely groaned when he moved it.

"Thank you," she said, her voice raw after he finished the makeshift tourniquet. "For protecting me."

"Skye, I will _always_ protect you," he swore fervently. "No matter what. That's what I learned today - the thought of losing you is too much."

"Are you saying…?" Her soft gaze met his and her lips curved into a small smile despite the pain she must be experiencing.

Before Fitz could respond, Ward was there, picking up Skye and interrupting their moment. "We have to get her to the bus for medical attention."

Tagging along beside them, Fitz smiled at Skye. "That's exactly what I'm saying."

* * *

_Please review!_


	10. Chapter 10

_A/N: Thanks go out to Mary Margaret for the idea for this chapter - I think it turned out really well! I am sorry for the long wait, though. Exams are coming up and I'm pretty busy! I hope you enjoy =)._

* * *

"I'm so glad we are doing this, Simmons," Skye commented, smiling at her friend sitting next to her on the bed.

"Me too," Simmons agreed brightly. She leaned forward and grabbed a stack of DVD cases from her bedside table. "_A Knight's Tale _or _Titanic_?"

"_A Knight's Tale,_" replied Skye without hesitation. It was one of her favourite movies and perfect for a girl's night. As Simmons started the movie, Skye leaned back against the wall, content. It was still a new feeling for her, feeling comfortable and safe and having close friends. The thought of feeling safe made her smile slightly - it was ironic that she felt safest now that she put her life on the line on a daily basis. But it was still true.

"You ready?" Pressing play at Skye's nod, Jemma flicked the lights off and returned to her spot on the bed. The first couple of minutes passed in silence, then Simmons suddenly cried, "Speakers!"

"...what?" Skye looked at her questioningly.

"We need speakers," Jemma explained. "For my laptop - that way we can hear better."

"I can hear just fine. We don't need to worry about it." Relaxing again, Skye returned her attention to the movie.

A second passed, but then Simmons spoke again. "I really think that we should have speakers. I think there are some in the large storage closet - could you get them? I'll make popcorn."

The entreating note in her voice made Skye sigh. "Fine, I'll go get them."

"Great!" Hopping off the bed, Simmons waited for her to get up and follow her out. As they walked down the hall, she commented, "You might want to get Fitz's help, though. I'm not sure where they are."

Waving her off, Skye said, "I'll be fine. It can't be that hard."

"Suit yourself. But Fitz is down in the lab when you need him."

Skye rolled her eyes dramatically. "Got it." They parted and Skye descended the small stairs and walked down the hallway, past the lab (waving at Fitz on her way by), and into the large storage closet.

The overhead light flickered into life as she flipped the light switch, illuminating the room. It was reasonably large - about double the size of her bedroom upstairs. And really dusty. Unfortunately, her task proved to be more difficult than she had anticipated since there appeared to be no attempt at organization - stuff was piled on shelves and in stacks on the floor everywhere she looked.

"You would think that SHIELD could hire someone to clean down here," she muttered to herself as she gingerly walked around the perimeter, hoping that the speakers would just jump out at her without requiring her to actually search or touch anything.

"Skye?"

The unexpected sound made her gasp and whirl around. Fitz was standing at the entrance to the room, looking slightly confused. "Oh, Fitz. Hi."

"You're okay?" He advanced into the room, the perplexed look still on his face.

"Yeah," she replied airily, waving off his concern. "You just startled me."

"Sorry about that," he said, flashing her a sheepish grin. In completely unrelated news, Skye felt her heart start to beat faster. "Simmons told me that you needed my help with something down here, but she wouldn't tell me anything more."

"Well, actually," she started to tell him that she was fine, but her words were cut off by a boom - the heavy door swinging shut behind them. And then a click. A click that could only mean one thing.

"What the…?" Racing back towards the door, Fitz jiggled the handle a couple times. "It's locked."

Sighing, Skye run a hand through her long hair in frustration. "Simmons."

"Yeah." Fitz agreed, slumping to the floor beside the door. "Definitely Jemma."

"Well, what do we do now? How do we get out?" Skye came and sat beside him, their shoulders touching. Even the brief bit of contact was nice, although it was difficult to admit that even to herself. Difficult to admit that she might possibly be slightly attracted to Leo Fitz.

"How would I know?" He complained. "I should be perfecting my icers right now, not stuck in a closet."

Skye stood up and held out her to him. "We'll just have to find something we can work with." He took it and pulled himself up to a standing position.

"Like what, exactly?" He still sounded grumpy, but he didn't let go off her hand, so Skye knew that she would be able to persuade him to help her.

"Who knows," she shrugged, fighting to keep a smile off her face. "There's tons of junk here. Maybe you can build something to pick the lock or explode the door." The last part was meant to be teasing, but Fitz obviously took it seriously.

"I don't think that that's a good idea," he said earnestly. "I wouldn't want to blow you up as well."

"Okay, well, let's see what we have. A marble, binoculars," Skye moved to one of the shelves and started rifling through the junk, listing off what she saw. But inside, she was thinking about how Fitz had said 'you' and not 'us.' Obviously, he was concerned for her safety. Biting her lip to keep back a huge grin at the thought, she continued, "And here's a screwdriver! That could be helpful, right?"

"Sure. Maybe a sonic one could be helpful, but…"

Flashing him a puzzled look, Skye tossed the screwdriver over to him. "Just hold onto it." Glancing up at the top of the shelves, she caught a glimpse of something that resembled a blowtorch. _Now we're getting somewhere useful. Coulson might kill us for burning a hole in the door, but… _Putting a foot on the bottom shelf, she started to climb the tall structure.

"Skye?" Fitz sounded slightly concerned. "What are you doing exactly?"

"Climbing," she grunted. "I think I see a blowtorch."

"I really don't think that that's a good idea. Let me."

Reaching up, she felt along the top shelf blindly with her left hand. "I've almost got it." The words were barely out of her mouth when she felt the whole structure shift, just ever so slightly. _Oh no._ She froze, holding on with all her strength. It wasn't a long fall, but if she landed underneath the shelves… For a second, everything was still. Then, Skye felt herself falling backwards.

There was a scream. Hers, maybe?

The sound of objects crashing to the ground around her echoed around the small room.

Dust rose up, obscuring her vision.

Pain as she felt her body impact the ground.  
Shaking. Not the room, though. Someone was shaking her.

"Skye? Skye, are you okay?"

It was Fitz, her scrambled brain told her.

Forcing her eyes open, she sat up slowly amidst the wreckage. "Hey," she muttered weakly, trying to smile.

Crouching next to her, Fitz shook his head, obviously concerned. "Are you hurt?"

Skye took a second to take inventory of her body, stretching her arms and legs. Everything hurt, but she felt nothing seriously wrong. "Aside from possibly becoming one massive bruise, I think I'm fine."

"You're sure?" Scooting closer, Fitz looked at her intently. "You nearly gave me a heart attack."

"Yeah," Skye grimaced. "Sorry about that." He was only inches away from her now.

"Promise to never do something so stupid again?" The words were nearly whispered, and she could feel his breath against her face.

"Mmm...maybe? Convince me?" Skye said before she stopped to think. She saw the surprise in Fitz's eyes, but it only lasted for a brief second as he closed the distance between them and brought his lips to hers in a tender kiss. Skye melted into it, bringing her arms up around his neck. "Convinced?"

Skye laughed at the question, muttered against her lips. "I think so."

* * *

_Please please please review!_


	11. Chapter 11

_A/N: Hey everyone! The credit for this prompt goes to Salkri Kachemench - thanks! Also, I think that this fic will probably be around 15 chapters in total, but I would welcome ideas for the last couple chapters (if there are any brilliant ideas, I'm open to making it a little longer!). Finally, you all should check out "The Hole in his Armour" - there will be some Fitz/Skye in it even though it is centered around Ward/Simmons. Enjoy!_

* * *

Gazing across the table, Fitz couldn't help but think that she was beautiful. Her long hair was loose around her face, contained only slightly by a blue headband, as she absentmindedly munched her breakfast - dry Cheerios. He had often made fun of her for it, but she had always shrugged it off, saying that she preferred them that way and that adding milk just made them soggy. He had rolled his eyes and said that that was the point, but there was no convincing her. In one hand, she held a SHIELD training manual which she was intently reading.

In front of him was his own breakfast - strawberry cream oatmeal. However, his favourite breakfast food just couldn't hold his attention when she was around. All he could think about was her. Her smile, her laugh, the way she crinkled her nose when he tried to explain his projects to her, the way she pretended to understand even though they both knew that she had no clue what he was saying. Really, Fitz admitted to himself as he took another bite of his toast, it was everything about her. _But how do I tell her that?_ That question plagued him often, but he had yet to figure out a good way to broach the subject. Sighing, he picked up the pencil next to him and pulled his schematics for his current project closet. Might as well be productive while he was wallowing in melodrama.

Something hit him in the forehead. Surprised, he looked up. Everything was exactly the way it had been just seconds earlier - Skye was completely focussed on her manual and the rest of the team was nowhere to be seen. _My overactive imagination. _He dismissed the sensation and returned to his work. That line needed to be straight, he thought, erasing with long strokes.

Something hit his cheek. "What the…?" This time he looked up and glared at Skye who was still innocently reading. He knew that it was no longer his imagination now - she was throwing Cheerios at him!

"Excuse me, but at least one of us is attempting to work here," he broke the silence.

She looked up, her eyes wide. "I have no clue what you are talking about."

"Oh. Sure." He had barely even glanced down before he felt the small impact of another Cheerio hitting his face. "Now that's it - this is war." He declared matter-of-factly before loading up his spoon with oatmeal and launching at her. It landed in her hair and dripped down onto her shoulder.

Gasping in shocked outrage, she grabbed a handful of cereal and threw it. Fitz ducked down under the table and crawled towards the fridge, looking for more ammo. He didn't really want his whole breakfast to end up decorating Skye's hair. "Oh no you don't," she cried, leaping in front of him and pulling the door open to survey her options.

"You think that I'm going to let you win that easily?" Grabbing her around the waist, he picked her up before she had time to dodge and spun her so that he was between her and the fridge. Reaching blindly behind him, he felt around, still holding Skye at bay. His hand came in contact with some leftover spaghetti - perfect. Releasing Skye, he pulled out the slimy pasta and sent it flying in her direction before she knew what was happening.

"Oh. Now you are going to get it!" She cried, clutching at her shirt where some noodles had found their way inside. She darted to the sink and grabbed the spray extension, turning the tap on to full volume.

Fitz's eyes widened. _She wouldn't. _Unfortunately, he was proved wrong as a stream of lukewarm water hit him full in the face and dripped down his body. "You think that you are so smart," he growled as he ran right into the stream of water, directly towards her.

"Pretty much," she giggled, obviously enjoying the mock irritation on his wet face.

Reaching her, Fitz grabbed onto the hose and tried to wrestle it out of her grasp, his efforts sending water flying everywhere, drenching them both. "Let go," he gasped, starting to laugh.

"Never," she declared, trying to twist the hose so that it was facing him again.

"Then you deserve this." Letting go with one hand, he reached out and poked her stomach - he knew the she was ticklish there.

"Cheater!" Twisting away, she took a step backwards. However, the floor was now covered in a thin layer of water and her foot slipped. She started to fall in what seemed like slow motion. Dropping the hose immediately, Fitz grabbed at her frantically, trying to at least slow her fall. His attempt failed miserably as he slipped on the water and fell directly on top of her, catching most of his weight on his hands. "Oooff." She gasped.

"Are you okay?" His face was inches from hers and water droplets from his wet hair fell onto her forehead beneath him.

She stared at him for a second, then burst out laughing. "I'm fine," she managed in between giggles. "Bruised, maybe, but fine."

Unable to help himself, Fitz rolled off of her and lay on the wet ground next to her and cracked up as well. "We're ridiculous." He finally commented after he had caught his breath. Raising himself to one elbow, he looked at her. The droplets in her hair sparkled slightly in the soft overhead light and her face was flushed slightly from their wrestling - he had never seen her look more beautiful.

"Truce?" She asked earnestly, looking up at him.

"So you are admitting defeat?"

"Never!"

"Then," he rolled back over so that his hands were on either side of her head again and his body was overtop of hers, "I had better pin you down until you give up."

"That is not fair," she complained, but her eyes sparkled and a slight smile was on her lips.

"Say it." He flashed her his most mischievous grin.

"Then will you let me up before someone catches us?"

"We'll see…"

"Fine. You win." The words were grudging, but she said them.  
"See, that wasn't that bad, was it?" She didn't reply, but he could tell that she was trying not to laugh. "And as winner, I get to collect my prize." Before he realized what he was doing, he pressed his lips to hers. They were soft, just like he had always imagined, as they melted into his with a sigh. Her arms wrapped around his neck and pulled him closer, deepening the kiss, letting himself be caught up in the moment. Eventually, he pulled away and got to his feet, pulling her up after him. They really didn't want to be caught in such a compromising position. "Skye?"

"Yes?" She looked at him, blushing.

Ducking his head, Fitz muttered, "I think I might like…" The rest of his sentence was cut off as she brought her lips to his again.

* * *

_Please review and let me know what you thought!_


	12. Chapter 12

_A/N: I know that it has been forever since I last updated...sorry! End of the semester and the start of the new one has been crazy, but hopefully I'll be back to updating at least weekly =). Enjoy! (Also, this chapter was inspired by Mary Margaret's ideas.)_

* * *

_Trouble was coming. She could feel the impending doom even as she ran, unable to look back. The scenery blurred around her as she raced down the alleyway, the wind stinging her eyes until she felt the tears start to fall. But it wasn't just the wind that was making her cry - it was something far worse._

_Ahead of her, she saw the street end at a plain brick wall. Her heart sank. Looking around wildly, she tried to find an escape route, or at least something that she could use to defend herself. Nothing magically appeared. Halting in front of the wall, she tried to control her terror, but to no avail. She was trapped and defenseless. Behind her, her pursuer's footsteps slowed to a more moderate pace - she wasn't the only one who knew that there was nowhere left for her to run._

_Her heart hammering in her chest, she slowly turned to face her assailant. The sun was behind the tall figure, leaving his face shadowed and unidentifiable. But the gun in his hands, pointed straight at her heart, was as clear as day._

"_Please," she choked out, her breath still coming in gasps. "Please don't do this. Please."_

_For a second, a brief moment, the figure seemed to hesitate. But then he walked towards her, slowly, a hunter stalking his prey. "I'd say I was sorry," the man said, his voice light and conversational as his face became clear to her frightened eyes, "but that would be a lie."_

_She watched as Ward pulled the trigger, his mouth twisted into a sardonic smile, his eyes cold. She screamed._

...

A knock sounded on the door, startling Skye out of her nightmare. Acting purely out of reflex, she leapt out of bed and snatched up the gun that she now kept by her bedside. Crouching beside the wall, she aimed the gun at the door as it slowly opened, spilling light in the small room. Her breath sounded unnaturally harsh in her own ears.

"Skye?"

The whispered voice was familiar. Allowing the gun to drop out of her shaking hands, Skye collapsed against the wall. "Fitz." Her voice trembled and she fought to keep her tears contained. "What are you doing?"

"Sorry. I...I'm sorry. I heard you scream and I was worried."

Looming and backlit from the light in the hallway, he looked eerily similar to the figure from her dreams. To Ward. She felt the remembered terror start taking over again, and this time she was unable to successfully control her tears. She felt a hand against her hair, gently stroking it out of her face. Looking up, she met Fitz's worried gaze. "I'm sorry," she whispered, hiding her tear-stained face in her hands again. "I'm fine."

"Clearly," he agreed even as he settled in beside her on the floor and put his arm around her shoulders.

"It was just a stupid nightmare." For some reason, she felt the need to explain to him that she wasn't really this much of a mess. That there was a reason that she was screaming in her sleep. That she wasn't crazy.

"Talking sometimes helps," he suggested, pulling her closer. She was sure that he could feel how her whole body was trembling with fear.

Drawing in a deep, shuddering breath, she started to tell him. "It was Ward. Again. He...he…" she trailed off and buried her face in Fitz's shoulder, her tears soaking his shirt.

"Shush. It's okay, Skye. I'm here." His attempts to comfort her actually helped - she felt the knot of fear in her stomach loosen ever so slightly, and the sobs slow. "Ward can't hurt you."

"I...I know. It's just that I trusted him. How could he do this?"

"I don't understand it either. He was our friend."

She could hear the hurt in his voice and immediately felt bad for being so selfish - she knew that Fitz had idolized Ward. It only made sense that he would be taking this hard as well. "I'm sorry, Fitz. I don't want to make you upset too."

There was a pause, then he asked, "Do you want me to go?"

Skye responded immediately. "Please don't leave me. Please don't…." She squeezed her eyes shut to stop fresh tears from flowing. There was nothing that she wanted less than to be left alone with the phantom Ward. She couldn't rid herself from the nightmares - they had plagued her every night since Coulson had rescued her. And for once, she didn't want to fight him alone.

"I'm not going anywhere, Skye. I promise." As if to reassure her that he truly meant that, he entwined the fingers of his right hand with her left and squeezed soothingly. "I promise."

And Skye believed him. No matter what had happened with Ward, nothing could make her mistrust Fitz. Leaning her head on his shoulder, she fell into a dreamless sleep.

* * *

_Please review! I love seeing all of your thoughts =)._


	13. Chapter 13

_A/N: Hey all! So this chapter was prompted by Mary Margaret's fabulous idea again and therealshawn was extremely helpful as well. Also, I think that it will probably be the second last chapter of this fic because I liked the idea so much that I'll probably develop something similar into a full-length fic at some point in the future - follow me to stay posted!_

* * *

He took a deep breath. This was hardly his area of expertise, but with Ward gone… Steeling his shoulders, he gathered his confidence around him and strode into the seedy bar, the door shutting behind him with a bang that nearly made him jump. However, he held himself together. Barely.

_Just follow the plan, _he told himself, taking a second to survey his surroundings. The room was dimly lit and the smelled of sour whiskey. He wrinkled his nose - this was not at all his type of place. At the bar, he saw Skye sitting alone. That was part of the plan too, though Fitz was sure that she must have had to turn men away to arrange that. She was breathtaking.

"...another one, here." A snatch of her conversation with the bartender reached his ears as he approached the bar and took the seat one away from hers.

"I'll take one of those too, please," he requested, holding up a hand to catch the man's attention. Really, he had no idea what he had just ordered, but he had heard that line before in some movie and it seemed appropriate. Awkwardly drumming his fingers on the bar, he tried not to stare at Skye - he figured that that might be conspicuous. Or would it be normal? Do men usually stare at women in bars? Or perhaps he should strike up a friendly conversation. But not too friendly, not enough to blow their cover.

Before Fitz had decided on a course of action, the bartender returned with their drinks. Fitz stared at the glass, noticing the dirt encrusted on it and decided not to risk it. Still absently drumming the table, he waited. The plan really was pretty simple, actually. He and Skye were just supposed to blend in and listen, since Coulson suspected that Hydra agents often gather there. All they needed to do was confirm that it was a hangout for the renegade agents and then they could leave.

"Hello, there," a familiar voice interrupted his thoughts.

Immediately, he straightened up, realizing that he had been hunched over the bar, staring at his drink and muttering to himself. _Great, now you look like a crazy person. You are doing a hideous job at blending in. _Looking up, he saw that Skye had scooted a seat closer and was leaning towards him. "Uhh...hi?"

"My name's Skye," she offered with a small smile, holding out her hand for him to take. "Yours?"

"Er, uh, Leo. I'm Leo," he said lamely, still not sure how to react. Academy training had never included a course on 'how to go undercover and pick up the girl that you already have a crush on in a bar without tipping off anyone else.' Unfortunately.

"Wow, your accent is _super_ hot," she drawled, putting a hand on his arm and smiling brightly.

Confused, he asked, "Really? Do you really think so?"

"Oh, yes." She batted her eyes at him. He had always thought that it was a stupid move, but somehow she made the gesture adorable.

"Cool." They sat there awkwardly for a couple moments while Fitz mentally kicked himself for being so bad at this small-talk thing. His ineptitude was hardly conducive to their covers. And the fact that he could tell that she was trying not to laugh didn't really make him feel much better about his attempts.

"So," she attempted, again trying to carry the conversation, "what is your favourite…" She paused for a second, obviously thinking, before she finished. "...book? Yeah, book."

Fitz felt his brain turn back on. _Books. I can handle books. _"Well," he drawled, leaning towards her and absent-mindedly picking up his drink in his excitement, "That is tough. But if we are talking pleasure, I would have to say _Lord of the Rings._"

"Hmm," she murmured noncommittally, sipping her drink and nodding.

"You've read them, right?"

"...I saw the movies. Close enough?"

Forgetting the drink held in his hands, Fitz gestured in mild outrage. "You've never read…" He stopped, horrified, as he watched the amber liquid from his glass fly through the air towards her and splatter all over her dress and hair. Her gasp jolted him out of his horror, and he immediately called to the bartender for a napkin, all the while mentally berating himself for being the most stupid, clumsy, idiotic man on the planet. "I am so, so sorry," he gasped, his face turning a bright red.

"It's fine," she muttered, her teeth clenched together tightly. He couldn't tell if she was suppressing laughter or murderous outrage, but he fervently hoped for the former.

The bartender arrived with the napkins, and Fitz attempted to help soak up the excess liquid that had pooled into a puddle on her lap, but she waved him off.

Sighing, he sat back on his stool and put his face in his hands, refusing to look at her. It was embarrassing, really, how badly he had managed to mess up this undercover mission. Everyone in the bar had stared at them - so much for not attracting attention. And they were still no closer to identifying any Hydra agents.

An hand touched his elbow.

Looking up, he saw a tall, lean man standing next to him, swaying slightly. Fitz wrinkled his nose in disgust - a drunk. Great. "'Scuse me," the man slurred, ""Low me to help the lady, here." He leered at her.

"We're good," Skye interjected coldly.

Apparently not too interested in helping, the man just shrugged at the rejection and started to walk away.

_Crash._

Whirling quickly, Fitz saw the man lying on the wooden bar floor, groaning pitifully. The remains of Fitz's drink had soaked the floorboards, making the surface slick - the drunk had never stood a chance. His mind working quickly, he leapt from his stool and offered the man a hand up. "Come on, buddy. Up now." As he pulled the drunk to his feet, he noticed two guns carefully hidden within the man's leather jacket. His suspicions confirmed, he patted the man on the back and returned to Skye.

"Well?" She arched an eyebrow at him.

Smiling slightly, he commented quietly, making sure that no one was within earshot, "Armed. Two guns."

"I think that he can safely assume that this was a success, then." She downed the rest of her drink in one gulp. "Coulson can start making plans for a raid."

"Good work," he smiled shyly at her. "Can we go back to the hotel now?"

That elicited a laugh from Skye. "I guess you're better at this than you thought," she smiled at him winsomely, "considering that I'm going home with you."

It felt like his eyebrows leapt off and off his head in shock as his eyes widened. "What?"

"Nevermind," she winked at him. "Let's go."

As they strolled out, Fitz was again shocked, but also pleased, as she gently slipped her hand into his. Maybe he wasn't so bad at this after all.

* * *

_Please review!_


	14. Chapter 14

_A/N: Hey everybody - thanks for sticking it out this long with me to this final chapter. I had a ton of fun with this fic, and I'm positive that I'll do more for this pairing in the future because I really love them. _

_Just a hint - this chapter will be much cuter and more meaningful if you reread previous chapters or if you have read them recently enough to remember what happened, since this is the chapter that brings them all together._

_Finally, this chapter (probably my favourite) is dedicated to a very loyal follower on her birthday - Mary Margaret. Happy birthday and thanks for all your support!_

* * *

Skye opened her eyes reluctantly and spent a couple minutes staring blankly at the ceiling, wishing that if she just refused to believe that this was happening, that it wouldn't happen. Unfortunately, she knew that that wasn't really how life worked, no matter how much she wished for it. Finally, resigned to her fate, she swung her legs up out of bed and dressed quickly, ran her hands through her hair, and hurried out of her room en route to the Bus's kitchen, hopefully able to get breakfast and retreat before anyone saw her.

Her first couple steps were a success - she didn't see a soul. Not even Fitz, was which kind of surprising considering how excited he had been for today. No matter how much she told him that she didn't like her birthday, (mostly due to always being alone), he kept insisting that they had to do something to celebrate.

Something caught her attention out of the corner of her eye. Something large on the wall just down the hall from her room. _A bug? _Moving towards it, she saw that it was actually a small rock taped to the wall next to a sticky note covered in Fitz's writing. She couldn't help but smile as she read the note:

_Dearest Skye,_

_Happy birthday! I know that you didn't want a big party or anything, so I'm doing something else to force you to celebrate: a journey through my favourite memories of you. _

_To start, this rock is from the pond where I taught you to skip stones across the surface of the water - I hope you remember, because that is when I started falling for you._

_Check the kitchen table for your next present._

_Love,_

_Fitz_

It took her best efforts to hold back tears at Fitz's sweetness. She felt a smile form on her face as she ran over to the kitchen, excited for her birthday for the first time she could remember.

The kitchen was likewise deserted except for a beautiful bouquet of flowers in varying shades of yellow and gold - her favourite colour. And on the elegant vase was another sticky note, which read:

_Flowers for that day when I showed up at your door with a bouquet and a poem and tried to tell you how I felt in the most awkward way possible. Yellow for the light you bring to my life (and because I know it's your favourite). _

_Now, go to the gym._

That thought of that memory made her smile - he had been so adorable, stumbling over his words. It amazed her how far they had come since then in their relationship.

She reached the gym only a couple minutes later and immediately saw her present on the floor - a little gift bag. Bending down, she picked it up, curious. Under a thin layer of tissue paper was a bag of individually-wrapped chocolate kisses. Smiling like an idiot, Skye knew that she didn't even need the note in the bag to explain this one. This was the spot where she and Fitz had had their first, innocent kiss. But, the note did tell her that she should head back into the kitchen now for his next surprise.

The first thing she saw upon re-entering the kitchen was a package of spaghetti on the table that hadn't previously been there, next to a paper snowflake and a purple sticky note, which read:

_I left your next three surprises in here, so… _

_1\. Remember when we made a bet and I lost and owed you dinner? And remember how I managed to set the pasta on fire and we ended up eating ice-cream?_

_2\. Check the garbage can._

Skye paused, confused, then went over to the trashcan. Her surprise elicited a laugh as she saw a Tim McGraw CD taped to the lid. Fitz had never liked country, but he put up with it for her sake. Returning to the note, she continued.

_2\. Check the garbage can. After Quinn had shot you and I thought that you were dying, I sat beside you for hours, praying that you would make it. Also, I never told you that I promised not to complain about your country music as long as you were alive. It's a work in progress…_

_3\. This one is a little more difficult to encapsulate in an object (a paper snowflake is the best I could do), but I wanted to tell you how much I appreciated the picnic we had in the cave during the blizzard. Yes, we were in danger, but we also grew closer and I learned a lot about you._

_Now, go to the living room._

Again, Skye fought to swallow through the lump in her throat. The flaming pasta was one of her favourite memories as well, but she also was very touched by how deeply he had been affected by her near-death experience. She had never known…

The living room still showed no sign of any of the inhabitants of the Bus, but on the table was another gift bag. Opening it, she pulled out a package of bobby pins, a handful of glow-in-the-dark stars, and a couple sticks. Completely perplexed, she pulled out the accompanying note and read:

_I know that these seem really random, but they aren't. The bobby pins are for the night that we played "Truth or Dare" and your hair became...well, I really think it's best if I don't comment on it. But, that was also the night where you were dared to kiss me and you kissed me. I mean, you really kissed me. And I didn't mind._

_The stars are for our camping trip, when you showed me how beautiful nature could be, looking at it through your eyes._

_The sticks are for our mission in the forest, where we almost had a moment, but then were interrupted. I was bitter about that for a bit, but now it makes me laugh...except for your injury. That wasn't funny._

_The storage closet is your next destination._

Laughing, Skye darted out of the living room and to the storage closet, pretty sure that she knew what she would find there. She clearly remembered their adventure in that room…

Surely enough, as she entered the room, her eyes immediately lit upon a table and chair that had been erected in the center of the room. On the desk was a pair of computer speakers, a bowl of Cheerios, and a note. Her stomach growled, and she realized that she had been too preoccupied with the scavenger hunt to remember to have eaten breakfast. She sat down and dug into the Cheerios, reading the note as she ate.

_The computer speakers need no explanation, but the Cheerios might. They aren't the perfect birthday breakfast, but I promise I can explain. The moment that I knew I had fallen in love with you was when we were on the floor, sopping wet, after our food fight. And you had started that food fight with your bowl of Cheerios. Skye, I don't know if I have ever said this out loud, but, I love you._

_On another note, your next surprises are waiting in your room._

Pressing one hand to her mouth, Skye stared at the note in shock. Yes, she had known that he loved her, but he had never expressly told her like that before. The tears started falling again, leaving wet spots on his writing which she hurriedly wiped away before they could smudge the ink too badly. Abandoning the rest of her breakfast, she nearly ran back to her room.

Opening her door, she took in the room in a quick glance. Nothing really seemed out of place to her, but there was a note on her bed. Picking it up, she read:

_Look at the wall behind your bed._

Glancing up, she looked and saw a feathered dreamcatcher hanging there, a new addition to her decorations.

_The dreamcatcher is for those times when you have nightmares and I'm not there for some reason (although I hope that I will always be there, no matter what). _

_Also, if you check your shelf, I think you will notice three additions - the Lord of the Rings trilogy. You told me that you had never read them, and I think that must be remedied immediately._

Glancing at the bookcase, she spotted her new books immediately and smiled. That was really sweet of him to remember.

Turning the note over in her hands, she saw that the writing continued on the back. She read:

_For your final surprise, turn around._

Confused, Skye turned around to face the doorway.

Time stood still.

She couldn't breath.

Tears ran down her face in a steady stream, but this time, she didn't mind.

Fitz was there, looking at her earnestly. And he was down on one knee, a ring box held in his trembling fingers. "Skye, I love you," he muttered, his accent making her melt. "Marry me?"

Gasping, she approached him and sank to her knees in front of him. "Yes. Leo, yes." She felt a thrill run through her body as she said the words, a thrill of excitement. "I love…"

He cut her off before she could finish, his lips finding hers and pulling her close to him in a feverish, passionate kiss. Finally, he ended the kiss, keeping his forehead pressed to hers, his eyes intent on hers. "Happy birthday."

Skye couldn't help but smile. "Maybe my birthday isn't so bad after all." Leaning in, she kissed him again, looking forward to the lifetime she would spend by his side.

* * *

_Thanks for everything, and please leave a final review =)._

_~Caitlin_


End file.
